Store-service apparatus.



L. B. BETHARDS. STORE sBRvIoE APPARATUS.

v APPLICATION FILED SBF120, 1909. 972,432 Patented Oct. 11,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

L. B. BETHARDS. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS. I APPLICATION FILED SBF120,1909.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

2 BHEBTS*SHEET 2.

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LONZO IB. BETHARDS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

Application led September 20, 1909. Serial No. 518,651.

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, LoNzo B. Bieri-miens, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inStore-Service Apparatus, of which the following is a description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecilication, in which corresponding letters of reference in thedierent gures indicate like parts.

The object of my invention is to overcome the common objectionheretofore made to that style of store-service apparatus lcommonly knownas the spread-wire type, viz.; that the handle of the main propellinglever projects so low when in its abnormal position that it is liablewhen reversed by the operator at the opposite station in the ,act ofreturning the car, to injure one who may be standing near it.

The primary object of my invention is to overcome this difficulty byproviding a supplementary handle or hand-controlled lever, which shallbe so constructed as to return automatically to an elevated position assoon as the hand of the operator is removed therefrom after forwardingthe car.

A further object is to so construct said device that the catch by whichthe car is held at the sending station may be released thereby beforeany tension is placed upon Moreover, it ismy purpose to provide means inconnection` with said handle for reversing the pivoted bar to which thewires are attached at the sending station for the purpose of returningthe car in an emergency.

I accomplish said objects in the manner hereinafter more particularlydescribed and definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of astore-service apparatus including a car, portions of the wire-way andthe propelling mechanism embodying the features of my improvement, theparts being shown in the positions in which they would appear when readyto release and forward the car; Fig. 2 shows the actuating hand-lever,the pivoted wire supporting bar and wires in the respective positions inwhich they would appear after forwarding the car; Fig. 3 is an enlargeddetail view of a portion of the'wire supporting bar, and

Figs. 4 and 5 are views of modified constructions which, in additiontothe modified features, show the wires yreversed as to direction.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the usual supporting plateconnected in any well-known way to a stationary struct-ure, to whichplate is secured a clevis 2, having a bar 3 jointedly connected to itsforward end as shown at 4. A link 5 having one end of a wire 6 attachedthereto, is j ointedly connected at 7 near the upper end of the bar 3,while a similar link 8 has one end connected in like manner at 9 to thelower end of said bar and the other end to a wire 10. rIhe bar 3 issubstantially the same as that heretofore in common use except that itis modified in shape to conform to the new conditions and is without ahandle at its rear end. A combined spring buffer and catch 11-ofwell-known construction is attached to the forward end of said bar inposition to engage a tooth 12 upon a car 13 when the bar is in itsnormal horizontal posit-ion, as shown in Fig. 1.

Pivotally connected to the bar 3 by means of a pin 14 arranged to passthrough a slot 15 in said bar, is a bifurcated lever 16, the arms ofwhich, commencing at the rear end of said bar are extended upon oppositesides thereof'to a position slightly beyond the forward end, so as tolie normally beneath the catch 11. The lever 16 is provided with ahandle 17 at its rear end where the arms of the forked portion arejoined. The forward portion of the lever is made somewhat heavier thanthat of the rear so as to counterbalance the handle. lNhen the car is atthe station and the bar 3 is in a horizontal position, as shown in Fig.1, the rear portion of the lever is brought into contact with anysuitable stop above it, such, for example, as the supporting bar or therear of the clevis 2 and is held in the position indicated in saidfigure with its forward end immediately beneath and in contact with thecatch 11. A notch 18 is formed in the under side of said lever near thehandle, which is adapted to engage with lthe projecting ends of thepivot-pin 9 in the handle 17 and pulls downwardly upon it. The lever 14being in engagement at its rear end with the pin 9, causesrthe bar 3 tobe moved with it. The first result of this action causes the catch 1l tobe lifted out of engagement with the part 12, thereby releasing the car.The continued movement of the handle causes the bar 3 to assume theposition shown in Fig. 2, but as Vsoon as the handle is released theforward portion of the lever being heavier,rinnne turn the car theretowithout aid from theoperator at the opposite end. This may beaccomplished by returning the bar 3 to its normal position. In orderthat the lever 16 may be utilized to make a back pull for this purpose,I provide the slot 15 and the notch 18, which latter extends rearwardlyso as to form a linger 20 thereon. The linger is normally out ofengagement with the pin 9, but when the operator wishes to return thecar, he places the lever against the pin 9, and pushes upwardly thereonuntil the finger 19 is in engagement with the pin 9, when a back-pullserves torestore the parts to the respective positions shown in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown a different form of buffer-catch 21adapted to operate with a tilting, spring-controlled yoke 22, upon thecar. The lever 23 is pivoted at 24 upon the samev axis as that of thebar 25,

, to which the wires 6 and 10 are connected,

saidA lever being bent downwardly at its forward end beneath the pin 26of the yoke for the purpose of releasing the latter. A lug 25a is formedupon each side of the bar 25 near its forward end, with which the `lever23 engages to actuate the bar 25 as soon as the car is released. A pin25b is also formed upon the bar 25 to limit the movement of the leverwhen the bar is in an abnormalposition. Instead of moving the entirelever longitudinally, as above described, when it is necessary toreverse the bar 25, I move the handle only. The handle 27 is recessed,as shown, and slidably mounted upon the rear end of the lever 23, beingconnected therewith by means of a pin 28, Fig. 4, projected through aslot 29,

in the lever. A spring 30 in the recess serves to retain the handle in anormal position. A lug 31, having an opening or recess 32 therein isformed upon the handle, said recess being in position, when the handleis pushed forward, to receive the rear end 33 of the bar 25 and lock thetwo together. This feature is only intended to be used for the purposeof returning the car in an emergency, as above described.

An important advantage of my improvement is that it enables a muchlonger handle to be used than is ordinarily employed, thereby making theaction easier, while the bar to which the wires are attached may also bemade longer. All danger of injury to those standing near when the leveris unexpectedly reversed is avoided, as a result of this construction.

A further advantage is that a positive catch may be insured to hold thecar at the station, while the lever enables the same to be positivelyreleased by a single act before spreading the wires and that with but aslight effort, whereas heretofore the release has required an excessiveexertion on the part of the operator.

Having thus described my invention, I claim z- 1. In a store serviceapparatus, the combination of a double wire-Way, a car mounted thereon,a catch mechanism for normally locking the car at the station, a pivotedWire spreading bar, an independently pivoted hand lever having itsforward end in operative proximity to said catch for releasing the samewhen moved from a normal position and means for causing an engagementbetween said hand lever and wire spreading bar after the release of saidcatch.

4 2. In a store service apparatus, the combination of a double wire-way,a car mounted thereon, a catch mechanism for normally locking the car atthe station, a pivoted wirespreading bar, an independently pivotedhand-lever, having its forward end in operative proximity to said catchfor releasing the same when moved from a normal oosition, means forcausing an engagement etween said hand lever and wire spreading barafter the release of said catch, and means for detachably locking saidlever and bar together during a backward movement of the two, to returnthe'car by positive action to its normal position.

3. rI`he combination with a double wirewaygand car of the classdescribed, of a pivoted wire-spreading bar, an independentlypivoted'lever for actuating said bar to spread the wires, means forreturning said lever to a predetermined position when released from thehand of the operator, and means for abnormally locking said lever andbar together to return the former to its normal position.

4. The combination with a double Wireway and car of the class described,0f a pivoted wire-spreading bar, an independently pivoted lever foractuating said bar to spread the wires, means for returning said leverto a predetermined position when released from the hand of the operator,and a normally ing Witnesses, this 18th day of September disengagedcatch mechanism for locking the 1909. lever to the bar to enable thelatter to be positively reversed for returning the car in LONZO BBETHARDS' 5 an emergency. v lVtnesses:

In testimony whereof, I have signed this D. H. FLETCHER,

specification in the presence of two subserib- CARRIE E. JORDAN.

